Cuff-holder



J. V. SMITH. CUFF HOLDER.

(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 31, 1893.

5440mm @7222 7572x275, 6

. UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

.IOHN V. SMITH, OF HAYES, ILLINOIS.

CUFF-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,940, dated October 31, 1893.

Application filed February 21,1893. Serial No. 463,152- (N model To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN V. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hayes, Douglas county, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (luff-Holders; and my preferred' manner of carrying out the invention is set forth in the following full, clear, and exact description, terminating with a claim particularlv specifying the novelty. v

This invention relates to clasps and buttons, and more especially to that class thereof known as cuffholders; and the object of the same is to construct a cuff-holder having atone end a separable button to engage the cuff and at the other end a clasp for engaging the sleeve, which clasp is pivoted'to the bar forming a body of the device in a new and improved manner so that it can be turned to either side as for use on either sleeve but cannot be turned farther than to a right angle with said body.

"o this endthe invention consists in the specific attachment between the clasp and the body, all as hereinafter more fully described, and as illustrated in the drawings;

wherein Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a sleeve and cuff, showing my cuff-holder as holding the parts in their correct relative positions, and also showing the clasp in dotted lines as turned to the opposite side of the body or bar so that the clasp could engage with the other edge of the slit in the sleeve. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the cuff-holder alone, showing the head of the button as removed and in section and the clasp as turned so as to stand above the body and between the two ex tremes ofmovemdnt of said clasp. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clasp from its under side, showing the body and pivot pin as slightly removed.

The cuff-holders now in common use comprise generally three distinct elements, viz: a body, a button or fastening at one end of the body for connection with the cuff, and a clasp or fastening at the other end of the body for connection with one edge of the slit in the sleeve. It has been found by practice that the wearer in applying the clasp to either sleeve desires the jaw of the clasp to face upwardly toward him in order that he can more readily fasten it; and with this object in View, cuff-holders have been made rights and lofts. As such manufacture necessitated the use of two dies to form a pair of cuff-holders, more recent inventors have connected the clasp with the body by a pivot standing'in the axial line of the body so that the clasp could be caused to face either way according as the wearer applied the holder to either sleeve. The objection here arose, however, that the clasp would often turn on its pivot at inopportune moments and form an undesirable lump in the sleeve; and in order to overcome this objection, devices have been made wherein the base of the clasp was connected by a pivot passing through the body or bar at right angles to the length of the latter. In the present instance I have constructed a device of this latter order, but I have so formed the pivot between the body and the base of the clasp that the latter can turn' through only half a circle-that is, from a position at right angles to the length of the body, around, toward and across such body, to a position at right angles to the length of the body and opposite the first position. In either extreme position, when the clasp is connected with the edge of the slit in the sleeve, a downward pull on the cufiholder will not turn the clasp upward. The

button or fastening at the other end of the body for connection with the cuff has heretofore been made in a variety of forms.

I do not limit myself to any special form of fastening, but I preferably employ (and I have shown in the drawings and described below) a fastening of the order known as separable buttons having a tubular shank to be passed through the button-hole or holes in the cuff,and a head having devices for detachably connecting it with the upper end of this shank.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter B designates a rod, strip, or bar forming thebody of myimproved cuff-holder, F is the fastening for the cuff at one end of this body, and O is the clasp for the sleeve at the other end of said body. The fastening F consists preferably of a separable button comprising a tubular shank 1 rising from the body B and having an annular groove 2 within its upper end, a hollow head 3 having a stem 4 depending from within its center, and two springactuated catches 5 mounted within the head and so arranged that their tips will engage said groove or that their bodies may be pressed inwardly at their outer ends 6 by the fingers to disengage said tips I have shown it as comprising a base 10 having upturned ears 11 at opposite sides, an upper plate 12 having downturned ears 1.3 at opposite sides passing between the cars 11, a pin or rivet let passing through the four ears, and a spring 15 coiled on the pin with its endscausing the jaws 16 of the two plates to be normally closed together. However, I do not limit myself to any particular form of clasp, as many others which operate in practically the same manner could be employed to advantage. The base 10 of this clasp is a little longer than usual at its rear end, and is bent under on the line 20 so as to form a lip 21 which stands beneath the rear end of said base and parallel with the latter, and a rivet 22 is passed through this lip, journaled through the body B, and passed through the base so as to pivot the clasp at its rear end on the upper side of the body. The pivotal point is so arranged that the clasp may be moved bodily over and around the body B from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, past the position shown in Fig. 2, to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1; and in order to facilitate this movement, the corners of the body at its upper end maybe rounded slightly as shown at 27 in Fig. 3. At either extreme of the movement of the clasp, it will be observed that one end of the bend 20 will strike against the edge of the body 13 so that the clasp cannot be turned farther than to a position at right angles with the length of the body. The advantages arising from such pivoting of the clasp have been stated above.

The parts are of any desired sizes, shapes, and materials, and may be finished in any suitable manner according as the manufacturer may wish.

As above stated, the specific constructions of the fastening device F and of the clasp O are not important, and considerable change may be made .in the details without departing from the spirit of my invention.

\Vhat is claimed as new is The herein described cuif-holder, the same comprisi 1g a metallic strip having parallel edges and rounded corners at its upper end, a shank rising from the lower end of said strip, a head having spring actuated catches detachably engaging saidshank so as to constitute a separable button, a spring actuated clasp for the sleeve whose base plate extends across the upper end of said strip and is bent over the farther edge thereof into a lip standing beneath and parallel with the strip, and a rivet passing pivotally through the base plate and lip and through the center of said upper rounded end of the strip, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature on this the 14th day of February, A. D. 1893.

JOHN V.- SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. 00X, C. L. RUSSELL. 

